Hat with removable faux front crown panel containing storage pocket(s)

ABSTRACT

A hat has a removable faux front crown panel with storage pocket(s) located on the inner face of said removable faux front crown panel. The removable faux front crown can be securely fastened over the outside face of the original front crown of the hat to conceal the unique storage area entirely. 
     
       
         
               
             
                   
               
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CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/382,092, entitled Hat With Removable Faux Front Crown Panel Containing A Storage Pocket, filed on Sep. 13, 2010.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an article of clothing and more particularly to a hat with removable faux front crown panel containing storage pocket(s)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hats, and is particularly concerned with a removable faux front crown panel with storage pocket(s) located on the inner face of said removable faux front crown panel, which is entirely secured over the outer face of the original front crown panel of a hat.

Hats with pockets are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,788 of McCallum describes a hat with a triangular pocket located entirely on the inside of the hat in a dead space above the hat band and rim. When the hat is worn, small items may be inserted for carrying purposes. However, since the pocket is located on the inside of the hat, such items are only accessible when the person wearing the hat first removes the hat from the head, causing an inconvenience for the hat wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improved hat having a removable faux front crown panel containing pocket(s) for securely storing items such as money, keys, mp3 players, credit cards, lighters, pen and paper, and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent, and may best be understood, by reference to the ensuing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in which;

FIG. 1: A perspective view of a standard hat

1—The perspective view of the original front crown panel of a standard hat

2—The perspective view of the hat's bill

FIG. 2: A front view of the hat with the “loop” Velcro attached to the perimeter of the original front crown panel

3—The front view of the original front crown panel

4—The “loop” Velcro sewn to the perimeter of the original front crown panel

5—The front view of the hat's bill

FIG. 3: A side view of the faux front crown panel as it is placed over the entire outer face of the original front crown panel

6—The outer face of the faux front crown panel

7—The perimeter “hook” Velcro on the inner face of the faux front crown panel

8—The pull-tab sewn to the faux front crown panel

9—The outer face of original front crown panel

10—The perimeter “loop” Velcro on the outer face of the original front crown panel

FIG. 4: A close-up front view of the outer face of the faux front crown panel

11—A close-up front view of the outer face of the faux front crown panel

12—The pull-tab sewn to the faux front crown panel

FIG. 5: A close up back view of the inner face of the faux front crown panel containing the storage pocket(s)

13—The perimeter of the storage pocket(s) as sewn into the seam on the inner face of the faux front crown panel

14—The inner face of the faux front crown panel

15—A storage pocket(s) containing numerous slots for items such as money, keys, mp3 players, credit cards, lighters, pen and paper and the like

16—The “hook” Velcro is sewn to the perimeter of the inner face of the faux front crown panel

17—The pull-tab sewn to the faux front crown panel

DESCRIPTION OF PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hat with a removable faux front crown panel containing storage pocket(s) on the inner face of said removable faux front crown panel, which is then entirely secured to the outside face of the original front crown panel of the hat.

The preferred method for securing the removable faux front crown panel to the outside of the original front crown panel is to use Velcro. A piece of fabric covered with tiny hooks called “hook side Velcro” is sewn to the perimeter seam on the inner face of the faux front crown panel and what is called “loop side Velcro”, which is covered with even smaller and “hairier” loops is permanently sewn to the perimeter seam of the outside front panel of the original front panel crown. When the removable faux front crown panel is placed onto the outside face of the original front crown panel the two parts are joined and secured. Alternatively, the faux front crown panel may be secured to the original front crown panel with other securing devices such as snap fasteners, buttons, zippers, magnets or the like.

The storage pocket(s) is preferably sewn into the perimeter seams on the inner face of the faux front crown panel to permanently secure the storage pocket(s) on the inside face of the faux front crown panel. However, the storage pocket(s) may be attached to the faux front crown panel using Velcro or may alternatively use snap fasteners, buttons, zippers, magnets or the like. The storage pocket(s) have a width essentially equal to the width of the faux front crown panel and preferably does not extend over the sides of the faux front crown panel. Preferably, the depth of the storage pocket(s) is such that it extends up to the top of the faux front crown panel. The storage pocket(s) can be made of waterproof materials for items which could be damaged by water contact. The storage pocket(s) may be formed separately from the faux front crown panel, or the inner wall of the faux front crown panel may form a layer of the storage pocket(s) with the outer wall of the storage pocket sewn around its periphery.

The removable faux front crown panel with storage pocket(s) allows small items such as money, keys, mp3 players, credit cards, lighters, pen and paper, and the like to be stored conveniently while walking, running, paddle boarding, biking, skateboarding, boating, surfing or the like.

Preferably, a pull-tab is secured to the faux front crown panel adjacent to the hat's bill to be pulled by a user for easy removal of the faux front crown panel.

The faux front crown panel is preferably made from foam, nylon, cotton, or similar material. It is the preferred embodiment that the faux front crown panel material matches that of the original front crown panel of the hat.

Although some preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above by way of example only, it will be understood by those skilled in the field that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hat, comprising: a) A head covering member shaped for forming a hat for covering part of the head of a wearer and having a first peripheral edge defining a head receiving opening, a front crown panel, a rear panel, opposite side panels and a band for covering the circumference of a wearer's head, the head covering member having an outer face and an inner face; b) A removable faux front crown panel having essentially the same shape and size as the original front crown panel so as to permit the faux front crown panel to completely cover said original front crown panel; c) A securing device such as Velcro, snap fasteners, buttons, zippers, magnets or the like affixed to the inner face of the faux front crown panel and to the outer face of the original front crown panel, so that the faux front crown panel may be securely attached to the outer face of the original front crown panel;
 2. The hat of claim 1 wherein a pull-tab is affixed to the peripheral edge of the faux front crown panel.
 3. The hat of claim 1 wherein the faux front crown panel is made from essentially the same material as the original front crown panel.
 4. The hat of claim 1 wherein the faux front crown panel contains a storage pocket(s) affixed to the inner face of said faux front crown panel. 